With a disturbing rise in ‘code grey’ incidents in schools across the country, a need for more-robust security in all educational and care settings is becoming clear to see. But what can be done? Jason Blair, managing director of managed security specialist firm, Camelott, shares his expert insights

 

Educational settings are by necessity security centric, boasting a range of key measures such as lockable gates and door entry passcodes, all designed to keep children safe.

Yet, despite these measures, there has still been an alarming rise in ‘code grey’ incidents – when a staff member, student, or visitor becomes combative or aggressive – calling into question whether current security measures are enough.

With many educational settings looking to increase the measures they currently have in place, there are crucial factors to consider in order to ensure that any security system invested in will stand up to the most-serious situations.

Not only is there a growing necessity for schools, nurseries, and further education settings to have solid lockdown alarms in place, but they need to be simple to use, timely, distinctive, reliable, and easily communicated across the organisation

With a worryingly-growing number of potentially-life-threatening incidents occurring across our schools, it’s clear that more needs to be done to protect children, staff, and visitors.

Security methods previously relied on – such as whistles or fire alarm adaptations – are simply no longer fit for purpose. Yet many don’t know where to start when it comes to introducing the best security systems for their school, and simply having one isn’t enough.

Not only is there a growing necessity for schools, nurseries, and further education settings to have solid lockdown alarms in place, but they need to be simple to use, timely, distinctive, reliable, and easily communicated across the organisation.

When considering any new security system for your educational setting, ask yourself these practical questions:

Is the lockdown alarm easy to set off while dealing with a serious situation?

Consider carefully exactly how the alarm is triggered.

For example, is it possible to raise the alarm and warn the whole school, while simultaneously dealing with the situation that has arisen?

What about while actively getting children to safety?

The practicalities, such as the location of the alarm itself and the method through which it is raised, are both vital elements here.

How quickly will the alarm reach the entire school?

It’s important to consider the speed at which the alarm spreads and reaches the entire school.

If an incident happens inside the school, how long will it actually take for everyone in the school to be made aware?

If it happens outside, for example on a playing field, how quickly can the alarm be raised in the first place? Does a teacher need to run any distance to its location in order to raise it?

How distinctive is the alarm?

The distinctiveness of the alarm sound itself is crucial.
Any ambiguity on the reason for the alarm can lose precious seconds in an emergency situation, so there should be no room for confusion as to whether the alarm is signalling a lockdown or something else, for example a fire.

How reliable is the lockdown alarm process?

For a reliable lockdown alarm system to work effectively, you really want to be looking for a procedure with as few elements to it as possible.

The more elements that are involved in a system, the more opportunity there is for that system to fail.

A system that relies on minimal human input and as few steps as possible – from a situation first arising to a lockdown alarm sounding throughout the school – will undoubtedly be more reliable and robust in an emergency

For example, does the sounding of the alarm rely on human input, which due to human error or otherwise can fall short?

Let’s say the agreed procedure is to contact a certain person via a handheld radio transmitter in the event of an emergency, and that person is to then sound the lockdown alarm – what happens if the batteries in either radio are flat? Or the radio signal fails? Or the designated person puts down their radio momentarily, i.e. for a toilet break?

A system that relies on minimal human input and as few steps as possible – from a situation first arising to a lockdown alarm sounding throughout the school – will undoubtedly be more reliable and robust in an emergency.

And, finally, is the security suited to your setting?

Consider your premises carefully when adopting any new system.

If you have demountable areas, or parts of the school are across a road or in separate buildings, you’ll need to ensure the system will reach all of these without delay.

When re-evaluating the systems currently in place, it’s vital to ask yourself if what is in place now will be effective in serious and potentially-harmful situations, or whether a more-comprehensive lockdown system is needed for the protection of all those in your care

Ultimately, whatever type of security system you go for will depend on various internal factors such as the size and situation of your premises.

But, with the disturbing and recent number of ‘code grey’ incidents putting into question the security and safety of our children and families, there really is no room for error.

When re-evaluating the systems currently in place, it’s vital to ask yourself if what is in place now will be effective in serious and potentially-harmful situations, or whether a more-comprehensive lockdown system is needed for the protection of all those in your care.